Real Dad
by jon1305
Summary: Wakfu's first episode is so short, and could have left in a few details of what happened when Yugo was younger for the sake of character development and drama. Here we see Alibert waking up on the wrong side of a bad morning, as he says one too many things to eight year old Yugo.
1. Chapter 1

Spring time in Emelka was always welcomed by its inhabitants who've braved through the long, frigid winter. As the sun rose above the hillside, the small valley town slowly came to life. Pillars of light smoke rose from a few of the town's chimney. The townsfolk started to fill the streets, all making their way towards their daily chores. Among the bustle of the shop keepers who were trying to peddle the wares on display, one building seemed to attract a growing number of people. Sitting on top of a hill overlooking the majority of the valley was a well-sized inn, fit with an outside patio that connected to a restaurant on the ground floor. Being one of the town's most renowned eateries, the inn flocked a good amount of regular customers every day.

As people started to enter the dining room, they received a hearty welcome from a rather portly man smiling from behind the counter, obviously the owner of this establishment. One of the men walking in raised his hand and yelled at the owner.

"Alibert! It's so good to see you!"

Alibert turned his attention to the man and responded "Fai, so glad you're finally over that cold. You feeling better?"

"With winter gone, I feel like a new man. Being sick really gave me a craving for your stew."

"Well then you're in luck. I wouldn't want to disappoint my favorite cust-" Their conversation was cut off by a loud crash coming from the kitchen. "Give me one moment." Alibert said before turning towards the double doors from which the distress came. As soon as Alibert burst into the kitchen, his eyes squinted slightly as he released a heavy sigh of disappointment.

"**YUGO!**" he yelled towards the stairs leading up to the next floor.

A loud thud could be heard upstairs, followed by the sound of frantic feet making their way to the kitchen. A half startled, still half asleep eight year old boy came down the stairs. Adorned on his head was a blue hat, fitted with small horn-shaped pockets above his ears, and a hood that stretched down near the back of his ankles. Rather big and impractical now, but he'd grow into it. Due to his age, he was only slightly taller than the hat he wore, but ever since he was found in the woods as an infant, he wore it every day.

Yugo stared at Alibert who had his eyes closed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Yugo looked at Alibert's arm, which was pointing toward the opposite side of the room, and followed it to its target. Sitting on the counter was Yugo's pet tofu, lying in a giant mess of flour and pieces of a broken clay vase. The boy quickly ran over to the mess and cradled his pet, checking if it was injured. Free from any scars, but dizzy and covered in white powder, the little bird chirped and flew on top of the boy's hat, leaving some white powder on his hat and part of his face. Yugo smiled, looking up at his friend, relieved that it was okay. However, they both flinched at the booming voice coming from behind them.

"Yugo, how many times have I told you that pests don't belong in the kitchen?"

Yugo turned around slowly, to meet the gaze of the adult who was staring right at him with eyes filled with rage. "B-but dad, I-"

"How many times have I had to clean up after that feathery annoyance as he slowly dismantles my business?!" Alibert was making motions with his hands as his voice became louder, starting to make Yugo's eyes fill with water.

"H-his name is Az..." Yugo said, taking a few steps back towards the counter as he was looking at the ground in shame.

"It doesn't matter what his name is! He's a tofu, and wild animals belong outside!" Alibert quickly stepped forward, grabbed the bird from atop Yugo's head, and throws it out the nearest window, slamming the shutters closed.

Yugo's eyes were filled with tears, moments away from crying as he reached his arm towards the window, only to be slapped by Alibert. "And after you clean up this mess, I want you to spend the rest of the day in your room!" Alibert said pointing his finger first at the mess, then at the stairs.

"Why would you do that? He was my friend. It was just an accident."

"I don't care! He isn't allowed inside the inn at all anymore. And if I see him inside, we're going to be selling Tofu Stew!"

Yugo's pupils shrank at the thought of his best friend being cooked. Suddenly, he made a dash for the door, only to be stopped by Alibert grabbing his arm. "Get back here and clean this mess!"

Yugo spun around, tears flowing down his face as he pulled his arm free from Alibert's grip. "I'm going to go help my friend!" Yugo's voice began to crack. "I don't have to listen to you; You're not even my real dad! I **hate** you!" With that, Yugo turned and ran out the door towards the woods, crying.

Alibert was taken aback at Yugo's last statement, and lowered his arm to his side, sighing. Alibert knew that Yugo knew that they weren't related. Ever since he found Yugo in that basket on the edge of the woods, a day that is still a little foggy to him, he tried his best to be a good father to the child, and raise him as his own. He knew Yugo didn't mean what he said, and realized how harsh he must have sounded earlier. He would have to go after the eight year old later though. The sound of the crowd picking up in the dining room snapped him back to reality. He had an entire breakfast rush to attend to. Even though Yugo has played in the woods alone before, he could only hope he'd be okay. The stress of fear, and the disappointment in his own words would definitely set his mood for the whole day. Alibert took one last look out the back door before closing it, watching the small remnants of flour wisp though the air. He turned the fires up on the grill, and started gathering ingredients for his orders as a tear fell down his cheek.

[_**Author's Notes**_: Thank you all for reading my first story: "I'm Not Sorry". I decided how I should make this story a bit longer, by making it a few chapters. There is still things to tell from what happens to both Yugo and Alibert. Keep commenting on my stories so I know exactly what you guys like, want me to change, or what you'd like to see more of. For those who watched the show, I hope you picked up on that subtle pun I hid in there. This, and many puns to come are for **you** Samuel. Enjoy! Many thanks! -Jon1305]


	2. Chapter 2

Real Dad, Chapter 2

The cool, crisp morning air was still covering the ground like a thick blanket. As the sun rose in the sky, beams of warmth made their way to the ground, cutting through the cold like a knife. The morning dew had lost its grip on the helpless blades of grass below as it melted, running towards the dirt only to be absorbed by its prisoner. The trees were holding their buds in the palm of their branches, forcing the new leaves as skyward as they could, giving their foliage the long awaited warmth they craved to grow. With the veil of winter lifting, plants all throughout the land of Emelka rejoiced as their elongated slumber was broken. Spring not only brought hope to the plants, but the fauna also stumbled out of their holes and borrows to take in the scene of a new season dawning.

Everywhere that the light has touched seemed to spring to life. The birds of the land were all flying about hunting food or caring for their nests. Deer and foxes stumbled out of their homes to stretch and soak up some rays of golden sun, shaking off the last remnants of winter. The first day of spring was a time of rebirth and light for everyone and everything living in the land of Emelka.

As the tofu and the deer begin to graze, they all jerk their heads up to the sound of footsteps coming close to the forest at an alarming rate. The animals scatter in just enough time to get away from the figure of a human that ran past them further into the woods.

A small human figure was running as fast as his little feet would carry him. This small boy had his special-made blue hat trailing him as tears raced down his face. Yugo had been crying ever since he left The Crusty Gobball. Running in and out of trees, Yugo's bare feet crushed the leaves and twigs underfoot. Due to his abrupt exit from the inn, Yugo forgot to take his shoes or any kind of jacket to cover him from the morning bitterness; yet he didn't seem to care about anything other than finding a spot far away from home where he could be alone.

After what had seemed like an eternity of running, Yugo found a small clearing in the foliage where a dead tree laid in its side forming a bridge over a small brook that ran through the woods. He stopped right next to the log and placed his hands upon it, trying to catch his breath in between the sobs. Yugo then fell to his knees, and leaning onto the log, broke down in tears burying his face in the few pieces of bark that the log had to offer.

In town of Emelka stood a large building on a hill overlooking the rest of the buildings below it. The Crusty Gobball was the town's most famous inn, run by one of the town's most renowned retired Enutrof Alibert.

As the sun was starting to make its decent from the sky, Alibert made his way out of the kitchen into the dining room. He wore a very sad look on his face as his feet grew heavy with guilt. Yelling was never something Alibert did, especially at his son Yugo. True, they weren't related by blood, but Alibert felt as if Yugo was the son he never got the chance to have. His adventures with his close friend and fellow Enutrof Ruel Stroud left him without a chance to settle down or find a wife. Finding Yugo in the fog on the outskirts of town was the answer to his prayer, giving him a reason to settle down. But juggling the raising of a child and the running of an inn, he was just as busy as before.

Alibert walked over to the front door, and flipped the wooden sign to say 'Closed'. The dinner crowd would be showing up within the hour but he was in no mood to continue cooking. Multiple times during the day he had spaced out, worrying about Yugo and whether he's get hungry or cold, or lost. Then his mind would spiral to '_What if he got injured? He'd have no way of getting back home._' Alibert would start working himself up so much that he'd start shaking. His shaking hands would drop a couple plates, and he'd snap back to reality.

Alibert went around the dining room picking up the piles of dishes left on the tables, and pocket whatever tip would be next to them. Business on the first day of spring was good, but all he cared about was Yugo and his safety. '_Strange…_' he once thought _'… how one small child would make me forget all about how much Ruel and I hunted down kamas._' The past eight years have definitely been different for Alibert.

Alibert piled up the last dish and made his way towards the swinging door of the kitchen when he stopped mid stride. He made eye contact with a small frame on the wall hanging near the fireplace. Alibert walked over to it, placed the pile of dished on a nearby table, and picked up the frame from off the wall.

Encased behind the sheet of glass was a picture of Alibert smiling next to a very young boy struggling to hold two plates and what would arguably be the biggest grin in the world. Yugo was just six, and wanted to help Alibert serve some of the customers. The inn's regulars knew the young boy all too well, and very much encouraged Yugo's effort. Alibert told his customers that all tips that day would go directly to Yugo. He earned nearly fifty kamas, and bought a porcelain gobball bank to store his money until he had "… enough to buy my own inn so I can own one just like my daddy!" which was what Yugo told all of his customers. They all loved the kid's energetic personality and his yearning to help everyone who needed it.

A few teardrops landed on the glass as Alibert sniffled to hold himself from breaking down. He felt so bad for yelling at Yugo. The poor eight-year-old didn't deserve to be yelled at. It wasn't even his fault. Az didn't mean to knock over the vase either.

Alibert inhaled deeply and then exhaled, trying to calm himself down. He put the picture back on the wall and headed past the dishes towards the door. He grabbed this coat and noticed how Yugo's coat and shoes were still in the front closet. Alibert's heart dropped into his stomach when he realized how it would be getting cold soon. He had to find Yugo before the weather got too bad. He also grabbed Yugo's coat off of the hook, opened and locked the door, and headed out into town to try and find him.

The sun was making its way towards the horizon with only a few hours before it started to get dark. Alibert knew where Yugo liked to spend his free time, and decided to start towards the bridge in the middle of town.

As the sun was beginning to set, the sky had bright pigments of purples and oranges strewn across the few clouds that inhabited it. One of the clouds even looks like a boat cast out at sea.

Yugo had move himself on top of the log, and sat against the exposed roots as he stared up at the beautiful painting above him. Yugo had calmed down from crying, and enjoyed the sounds of the brook below him. He had been starting at the animals that were all making their way to their nests and homes when he suddenly realized something.

Yugo's eyes shot open and he jumped off of the log, racing towards the woods once again. The chirping of the tofu reminded Yugo about Az and how he was still missing. With it getting darker, spotting a small yellow tofu would be progressively harder.

"Az!" he screaming, trying to listen closely to the different pitches of the chirping, hoping his friend wouldn't be too far.

Yugo ran in what he thought was the direction of home. Or perhaps he was running in the opposite direction. He spun around for a moment trying to get his grasp on direction when he shrugged it off. Finding his friend was of a higher priority. Nothing else mattered to him; not the growing darkness nor the on-coming cold air, not even the mud puddle that he stepped in covering his legs and most of his pants in wet mud deterred his quest.

Yugo ran yelling out for his friend louder and louder with nary a sign of his tofu anywhere. He stopped for a moment leaning his hand on a tree to catch his breath. He started to worry that he'd never see his friend again.

The sun had traveled past the far hills and below the horizon giving life and light to the opposite end of the world. The sky darkened to reveal a vast collection of stars scattered amongst the clouds. Visibility was deteriorating to where Yugo could only see a few trees ahead of him.

He started running in the same direction starting to get frantic and stressed. "AZ!" his screams carried and echoed through the woods.

"AZ! Where are y-"his words were cut off as his foot got caught on a root. Yugo gasped and put his arms out in front of his face to shield him from the impact. He landed on his forearms with a thud, stopping his face from hitting the rocks. However the front of his right leg made contact with one of the pointy rocks, hitting him hard in the shin.

Yugo rolled on his back and screamed in pain as he brought his leg up to his chest. After the initial shock, he looked down as the source of the pain only to see blood starting to come out of where the rock hit, mixing in with the semi-dried mud.

Yugo gritted his teeth as he forced himself up to a standing positon, using the tree as a crutch. He tried putting pressure on his hurt leg but pulled back instantly regretting the decision. Pulling his leg up made him lose balance and fall on his bottom into a sitting position.

In front of his, right behind a few trees, Yugo could hear rustling coming closer. "Who's there? St-stay away!" Yugo said using his left leg to scoot himself backwards and away from the noise. He backed himself against a tree, and hoped that whatever it was would go away.

From the direction of the noise, a man appeared around a tree. He was wearing a dark cloak and had a heavy backpack which looked to be full to bursting. He walked into the clearing so Yugo could see him as he raised his open palms to the child to show his lack of aggression.

Yugo's heart raced as his breathing picked up. He was alone, partially immobile, and nearly defenseless in the woods at night. Yugo had been alone before, but never for this long or after hours this late. He had no idea of what to do.

Should he scream? Run? Both? Different possibilities ran through his head all looking for what to do. His mind came to a halt as the man spoke to clear the on-growing silence...

[**Author's Note**: I want to apologize for the long absence. With holidays, a death in the family, and my visit to the hospital, there was no time to write my story. As I mentioned in DeviantArt, the best way to keep updated with my stories is to subscribe, so whenever I post a new chapter, you'll know immediately.

There is a reference in there for another one of my close friends, Dib. You're the only reason that comment is in there, lol.

I want to thank Nimue, a very dear friend for giving me names for the characters used in my stories. It takes me forever to come up with cool names. I also want to thank Dale for being in this story as well. Yugo and Alibert both belong to Ankama, so thank them for coming up with the base ideas of my stories. {Watch Wakfu now on Netflix}

Keep commenting on my stories so I know what you guys want more of whether it be more Yugo, more Alibert, or more random townsfolk. I'll take every comment into consideration for this story, and the next ones to come. Thanks everyone!]


	3. Chapter 3

Real Dad Chapter 3

The cold breeze which swept over the town, now bathed in darkness, flowed between streets and alleys, ushering people indoors for the night. The local guards, and a few shop owners were busy lighting the street lanterns and closing up their wares, satisfied about the new season's approach and the things it has in store for them. A guard shift-change would send the most of the men on duty home for the night, leaving just one man who was to patrol the grounds until dawn.

One of the guards was donning his coat, and gathering his gear, about to make his way home. "Alright then, Dale. You have everything under control? I mean, I could stay for a while if tha-"

Dale cut him off as he gathered his belonging into the footlocker of the guard tower. "No. No, it's fine Fai. Nothing happens in this town at night anyways."

Fai had smiled at Dale, then made his way out the door yawning. "My house is only down the street if you need help."

"Yeah. If a band of mask-wearing clowns show up causing trouble, I'll be sure to call you for assistance." Dale said with a chuckle.

"Oh, well if it is clowns, then don't bother waking me! You know I can't stand clowns" Fai responded with the back of his hand, making his way into the dark night.

Dale laughed to himself before making sure his padded armor was securely fastened. He reached for a spear on the wall, and walked outside only to be met with the cold breeze across his face. "Gah! Still too cold. The summer couldn't come fast enough" he mumbled to himself, before walking down to his patrol path in the center of town.

Alibert was tightly grasping Yugo's coat as he hurried towards the guard tower. Thoughts rushed through his mind as he tried to remember where else Yugo would hid away. The large wooden bridge in the center of town was empty of any children, let alone his son.

_"Let's hope Fai is still on duty. He could help cover more ground"_ Alibert thought to himself. His pace had doubled as the worry inside him did the same. Every moment Yugo wasn't home was another moment out in the cold. As Alibert's thoughts were swirling rhythmically mirroring the chill in the air, he had not noticed the sound of someone coming around the corner of the street, and ran straight into a man wearing heavily padded armor. Due to his speed, both of the men fell straight to the ground with a clamor of metal on stone. Alibert looked up to see the guard react to his feet holding his spear before letting it down, exhaling in relief.

"Are you okay? I didn't see you come around the corner until it was too la-"

"I need your help!" Alibert cut him off, standing up.

Dale had looked at the man blankly before registering he was breathing fast and holding onto a coat which was far too many sizes too small for either of them. "Is someone missing?" he spoke looking the man in the eyes. Alibert's eyes were filled with worry, and slightly showed signs of redness. Dale could almost definitely tell something was seriously wrong.

"My son. He ran off early this morning, and hasn't been back home. With the frost tonight, I'm not sure he'd….. I need to make sure he's alright." Alibert held back any more tears. There would be time to cry after Yugo was returned.

"Right. Where did you see him last?"

"We had an argument, and he ran off into the woods. But that was hours ago. I tried his normal hangout spot in town, but not a soul was there."

Dale was surprised at how well this man held himself in a time of crisis. "I wouldn't imagine so. No one would want to be out in this col-" Dale stopped mid-sentence, realizing how there were now three people outside, exposed to the on-growing frigid gust.

From the lights of the lanterns hung on the posts above, he could see a few tears forming in Alibert's eyes. Dale shook his head and responded "Don't worry. If he's in town, we'll find him; however if he's wandered off into the woods, then our best bet would to look for him during the day."

"Thank you. You work with Fai?" Alibert asked extending a hand, feeling the first ounce of relief all day.

"Yes, I'm Dale. Fai gave me the first spring night-watch. You're the innkeeper, correct? I've heard all about you and your son." Dale responded, shaking the man's hand.

"Yes, I'm Alibert. Small town, word gets around fast."

"Okay then. I'll start looking on the East side of town, you cover the North, and we'll meet at the Bakery. From there, we'll search the rest of town." Dale said, giving Alibert a reassuring smile.

As they both started their search, the thought of waking Fai crossed Dale's mind, but the other half of him hoped that they wouldn't need to. Dale cared about all of the citizens of Emelka. No one wants to think about a child left out in a cold night, especially if he's your own child. Dale worried for Alibert and the suffering he was going though. With a quickened pace, Dale started methodically searching alleyways and around buildings.

"Gods protect him" Dale whispered under his breath.

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Time seemed to slow down to a grinding halt for Yugo. Neither he nor the man standing only ten feet away seemed to move. All Yugo could register was his chest rising and falling as he tried to calm the beating of his heart which threatened to escape its fleshy bonds. With every exhale, small puffs of condensation escape his lips forming small clouds, which would promptly disappear only to be replaced by another. Yugo's eyes widen as the rest of his body stiffens up when he notices the standing figure making the first move.

The man reaches around to the side of the firmly packed bag, and grabs something metal. He moves it in front of his face, and with a few sounds a squeaking and a click, the lantern brings light on both him and Yugo who squints at the sudden change in lighting.

"There. That's much better." The man says as he holds the lantern higher as to get a better look at the boy on the ground. He removes his hood to show his face a bit better. Yugo can see that the man was somewhere in his twenties, and had a scruffy chin. The man had blueish eyes, and small amounts of dirt on his face showed that he'd been traveling for a few days.

Yugo was still tensed up against the tree base, not knowing how to react to this man. _"He surely didn't seem threatening, but who wanders in the middle of the woods at night?"_ Yugo mentally scoffed, realizing that he, himself was someone who fit that profile as well. He quickly snapped back to reality when the man started to move closer.

"I heard your scream, and I needed to make sure you're okay. You are okay, aren't you?" The man said taking a few steps forwards. When he saw Yugo try to back up further, he stopped his advance, and knelt down placing the lantern on the dirt beside them both.

"Stay back. I-I don't want any trouble" Yugo said trying to straighten up as much as his current position on the ground would allow.

"I mean you no harm." The man said raising his hands in front of him. "My name is Fenrier Stallis, but you can call me Fen for short. I'm an adventurer, and have been traveling for a few days. I was supposed to hit a town called Emelka before nightfall, but got sidetracked."

Fen noticed Yugo's legs covered in mud up to past his knees. Glancing over the boy before him, he also picked up on the fact at how he was without shoes, and shivering faintly. It was hard to tell if it was from the cold, or from fear. He moved his backpack straps around and off of his arms, and sat on the dirt facing Yugo.

"My name is Yugo. I was looking for my friend, and then I got lost."

"What's your friend look like? I haven't seen any other children in these woods, especially not after dark." Fen was curious and thought to himself _"Who would let their child outside this late, and not come look for them?"_

"Oh, he's not human. My friend is a tofu named Az. I've known him since I was little." Yugo couldn't understand why the man looked confused at his last statement, as if who doesn't befriend animals?

"Well, it's a bit late to be wandering in the woods at night. You can hardly see your hand in front of your face. I was just about to make camp for the night. I'd help you find your friend tomorrow." Fen thought to himself _"Okay. Kid covered in dirt and mud, in the woods at night, and friends with a bird. Perhaps this boy is homeless…"_ Fen worried that if no one was around to take after this young boy, he might have died of hunger, or hypothermia; or even ran into the wrong type of person who would get the wrong ideas.

He quickly shook these thoughts from his head and asked "Do you have a place to sleep? You must be cold"

Yugo did start to feel cold, now realizing how he was nowhere close to being properly dressed for chilly nights outside. He had no idea how far he was from home either. In this darkness, it was impossible to recognize any sort of land mark which could have been used to find his way back. "No, I don't. I mean… not really."

"Then you should camp with me tonight, if that's okay. I have a bedroll you could use. Plus a fire would be better than sitting on cold, hard dirt."

Yugo thought for a moment if he could trust this man, but then the realized at how the alternative would be to hobble through the cold trying to find his way back home, which was hard enough when he was able to walk properly. "Okay. That'll be nice. But… I hit my leg pretty hard, and it hurts to stand."

"May I take a look at it?" Fen said offering his arm extended to the boy.

"Umm…. Okay. J-just be gentle." Yugo said extending his hurt leg towards the man.

Fen grabbed the lantern and brought it closer to Yugo's leg to get a better look. He could see the blood starting to run down Yugo's leg, which added another worry to Fen's mind.

"This doesn't look that bad. Just need to clean it up. While I was in a past town, an enrispa gave me some First Aid things." Fen reached over to his bag, and brought out a clear canteen, some cloth, and bandage wraps. He held the canteen up to Yugo, showing him the silvery liquid. "This stuff will clean off the germs from your cut, but it might sting a bit."

Yugo nodded, reaching behind himself to a nearby root and grasped it firmly, preparing himself for the pain. Fen then poured the liquid over Yugo's leg, to which Yugo instantly started screaming and pulled his leg back.

"I'm sorry. This is the only way to make sure your cut doesn't get infected."

A few tears ran down Yugo's face as the rest of his body tensed up, but he knew "It could get worse if not treated." As his dad always said when he refused to lay in bed all day with a cold. Yugo took in a deep breath, and re-extended his leg outwards.

"I'll try to be quick." Fen said as he poured more of the liquid on the boy's leg. Yugo clenched his jaw and tightly gripped onto the root, digging his nails into the bark. Fen took the cloth and wiped off the mud and blood around the cut. Then he firmly placed a new cloth on the cut and wrapped it to Yugo's leg using the bandage.

Yugo let go of the root and loosened up his jaw while taking in deep breaths.

"There, all done. Now it won't get infected." Fen said putting away his supplies, making sure to put the used cloth in the discarded pocket of his backpack. Yugo wiped away the tears from his face with his wrists, and smiled up at Fen.

"Thanks…" Yugo let out quietly

"Now we need to set up camp. I thought I saw a clearing up ahead not too far." Fen grabbed the straps of his backpack, and hoisted both it and himself to standing. He then clipped the lantern onto the side of the backpack. He looked down at Yugo, who then looked at the ground.

"It still hurts to try and step with… How far i-" Yugo was cut off with Fen grabbing his wrist and hoisting him up off of the ground. Fen put one arm under Yugo's legs, and one behind his back, and carried him in the direction beyond the tree line. Yugo was shocked at how this man would be willing to lift both himself and that backpack at the same time. "Better not question someone helping." He thought to himself.

"Huh, you're a bit heavier than you look" Fen said with a laugh. Yugo rested his head against Fen's chest for warmth as they walked in and out of a few trees, appearing in a clearing in the trees. On the other side of the clearing, Yugo could see a dead tree fallen over a small stream. _"Wait, I've been going in circles this WHOLE TIME?!"_ Yugo was embarrassed to admit openly.

"This will be just fine" Fen said, gently putting Yugo down on the grass. He grabbed what looked like a rolled up blanket from the top of his bag, and unrolled it next to the boy, who hoisted himself on top of it.

Yugo laid back and watched the stars shine in the sky. Fen gathered up some sticks from the dead tree, and put them in a small pile in the center of the clearing. He also gathered some rocks and placed them around the sticks in a circle. He grabbed the lantern, and poured a bit of the oil onto the pile. With one swift motion, he lit a single stick and threw it into the pile. The campfire came to life almost instantly. Yugo could already feel its warmth hugging him like his dad did before bed every night.

Fen rustled around in his bag for something rolled up in a different cloth, to which he asked "Yugo, you must be hungry. When was the last time you ate something?" Fen tried to get some more information out of this mysterious child without sounding intrusive.

"Well…" Yugo was cut off by the sound of his stomach making a loud grumble. Yugo's blushed and responded "I guess I haven't eaten all day…"

_"Oh my GOD! This kid really IS homeless. Someone has to take care of him. He can't live like this!"_ Fen thought to himself. Instead, he unrolled a whole loaf of bread and gave it to Yugo, sitting down right next to him. As soon as Yugo grabbed the bread, he started scarfing it down.

"Whoa, slow down there little gobball. You'll choke if you eat too fast."

Yugo swallowed hard what he had in his mouth, and then smiled up at Fen. "Sorry. I'm just not used to eating bread."

_"That's a smile I could look forward to seeing every day. But could I really take a kid along on my adventures? I guess if he has nowhere to go…"_ Fen's mind trailed on as his stare moved towards the fire.

"Is everything all right mister Fen?"

"Oh… Yeah. Just got something on my mind, is all..." Fen noticed how Yugo already finished a whole loaf of bread. "You should get some sleep"

"But what about you?" Yugo said lying down with his body turned towards the rays of warmth coming off of the campfire.

Fen set up his backpack and leaded up against it, finishing his smaller portion of bread. "I'll be fine. Someone has to keep watch too. I've never been in these woods so I don't know who, or what could be out there." Fen looked over to Yugo who seemed to already be nodding off. He placed a hand on top of Yugo's hat and patted his head. "Sleep tight little one."

\\\\\\\\\

_"This is hopeless!"_ Dale thought to himself. "We've checked everywhere. He's probably wandered off into the woods. We can gather a search party, and start looking for him first thing in the morning. But for now, I think it would do you some good to get some rest. You look like hell."

"No. I have to find him!" Alibert huffed, out of breath.

"Alibert, it won't do you any good to run yourself dry. You'll need your energy for tomorrow. Look, I know a guy who used to be good at tracking. He's the blacksmith, and I'm sure he'd be more than willing to-"

"Dale, with all due respect, you don't understand what it's like to lose your child."

"Actually sir… Never mind. You need some rest. I can finish up looking around town, just in case. We can start again in the morning" Dale said the last sentence with emphasis on each syllable, trying to get his point across.

"Okay. FIRST thing tomorrow morning then!"

"First thing…" Dale nodded

Alibert made his way back to the inn, slightly hoping inside that Yugo would be there waiting for him at home "Oh Enutrof, please keep my boy safe from harm. Please let him come home…"

[**Author's Note**: So glad on the growing feedback from you all. Seeing how my story has been ready by over two hundred people from thirteen different countries is both humbling, and awesome! You guys and your feedback is what's fueling this train! And as long as you keep it up, I'm sure to write more stories after this one's end.

Thanks to Nim for her characters, and I can only hope I portrayed Dale accurately.

PLEASE continue leaving comments telling what you think, and what you'd want to see more of so I know where to shoot for with my next story(ies). You guys are all awesome! And if you haven't already, Watch Wakfu on Netflix! [French vocals, with English (or your language) subtitles.]


	4. Chapter 4

**Real Dad Chapter 4**

Fen stood up and yawned as the stretched his arms towards the sky. The sun shone down on his face, warming his whole body as he tried to wake up. He rubbed his eyes, trying to acclimate to the brightness of the vast grassy field which laid before him. A gust of warm air blew past him, an invisible conductor commanding every blade of grass in the field to sway in unison. With the lack of any trees in sight, the breeze has full control of the whole valley. Squinting his eyes, he could see a small child wearing a blue hat running around in circles chasing something. Fen smiled at the boy as he ran in circles playfully.

He approached the small kid calling out to him. "Hey Yugo. I didn't hear you wake up. What are you chasing?"

The kid looked up at the man as his face grew a huge grin which stretched from one ear to the other. It always made Fen feel a sense of accomplishment seeing this figure happy; almost as if whatever he did or was doing at the time was the right choice. The kid stopped and turned for a second, then ran full speed at the man with open arms, still wearing his huge smile. Fen knelt down and opened his arms for the kid, only to see the kid fall face first on the grass just feet away from him.

The man ran over to the kid, and picked him up into a hug and patting his head. "Shhh, you're okay. You just tripped. Nothing is broken." The man prepared himself to start hear crying from the small figure, but was caught by surprise to hear the boy laughing.

Yugo shook his head, face buried in Fen's chest, laughing into his shirt. The sound of the child's laughter was the second thing in life that would make Fen smile, no matter the instance. He sighed feeling relieved that Yugo hadn't hurt himself. For being young and agile, he was a fairly clumsy kid.

Fen held Yugo in his embrace for a moment, but looked down when he felt something wet against his chest. Yugo looked up to the man still smiling. Fen nearly jumped back away from the kid when he saw Yugo's face. He had been smiling, but his mouth had a cut on his lip as well as a few missing teeth. His eyes moving upwards along the boy's face noticed the flowing river of blood coming from Yugo's nose, which was cut across the top. His left eye was also puffy and adorned in scrapes mixed with a purple bruise circling it; however both of his eyes were completely colored black.

Fen stood paralyzed in placed not sure what was going on. The young boy squeezed the man tightly and buried his face back into the man's shirt. Fen had his arms raised above the boy, scared to hug him causing more pain.

The boy spoke, slightly muffled by the shirt now covered in blood. "You're the best daddy ever!"

Fen swiftly sat up from his backpack, breathing heavily as he saw the darkness of the woods and the trees still surrounding him. He looked over to his left and saw a small figure on a bedroll fast asleep. His breathing slowly returned to normal as he laid back against his bag, closing his eyes.

"It was just a dream…" he whispered to himself.

Leaning back, listening to his own breath in unison with the sound of the bugs chirping away was a welcoming calm which helped him relax from his nightmare. Between breaths, he could hear chattering coming from nearby. He looked over in its direction to see Yugo shivering. By the looks of the ashes around the fireplace, and the smoldering embers struggling to hold on to the remainder of their short existence, he noticed how the warmth which embraced the small boy has let go of its hold on both of them as it faded into itself. Fen rolled his eyes at the fact at how the boy was roaming the woods without proper clothing.

"_Well if he is homeless, then someone has to take care of him. I won't leave him alone, but would he be safe on my adventures? What if he got hurt? Or taken?"_

Fen stood up and undid the clip around his neck holding his cape to his back. He quietly moved over to the shivering boy, knelt down next to him, and covered his with the cape; still warm from its owner. Tucking it under the boy's back, Fen patted Yugo on the head softly. He could tell the cape was working at keeping the small child warm, for Yugo's shivering slowed down to a halt as he shifted slightly in his sleep, mumbling something under his breath.

Fen made his way back to his spot on the grass and leaned against his bag in an attempt to get some more sleep before the sun rose.

/

Alibert had been tossing and grumbling in his bed for the past few hours; not once getting comfortable enough to sleep. After what felt like an eternity of shifting one way, and another, he finally sat up and threw back the covers.

"**AAAAGGH!**" he yelled. "_There is no way I'm going to get any sleep tonight._"

He slid into this slippers and tied a robe around his waist and grabbed a book from his nightstand. He then rubbed his eyes, which were sore and puffy, as he made his way out of his room and towards the kitchen. Alibert lit a candle, and placed it on the table along with the book. He reached into a cupboard and withdrew a glass, which he then proceeded to fill with milk from the fridge. Sitting down at the table, he rubbed his face exhausted from the day. Worry has set inside him like a stone, and seemed to have brought friends along as the day progressed.

It worried him not having Yugo. It worried him not knowing where Yugo was. It worried him knowing there was little to nothing that he could do. Alibert felt as if his chest was going to explode. He took a long drink of his milk in hopes that it could help some of the pain in his stomach. Placing the glass on the table, he put leaned his head against his open palm. Eyes half open, he started to page through the book.

'The Great Gobball Famine' one of the chapters read. This was Yugo's favorite story book. It had stories from all over the world, and showcased many different types of heroes and villains. Ever since Yugo couldn't sleep one stormy night when he was about five, Alibert had read him part of a story every night. He would never make it a full way through one story, for Yugo would fall asleep too quick. Alibert would kiss Yugo on the forehead, tuck him in, and continue the story from where he left off the next night. He couldn't tell if it was the stories or his book-reading voice which lulled Yugo to sleep, but he never cared as long as Yugo did sleep.

Taking another sip of his milk, he started reading the story to himself. It was one that he'd read a couple times over, but it was something to get his mind off of the thought of Yugo stuck somewhere in the cold alone. As he read Alibert's eyes got heavier with ever page. Before long he placed his head on top of the book, and closed his eyes.

/

As the sun rose above the hills, the darkness of night fled across the sky towards the west, following the moon in its decent. Warmth returned to the land as the creatures of the night ran for their homes. Their long night symphony filled with hooting and chirping subsided, and made room for the tofus and their joyous songs of the day. With the sun continuing its climb, light illuminated everything from the town square to the woods. Shopkeepers and townsfolk alike both awoke to continue their morning routines.

The guards had awoke, and made their way to their day posts; putting out the street lanterns as they went along. Dale had made his way back to the tower, and started logging down everything that had happened thought the night into a large book. Dale yawned, rubbing his eyes as he wrote of Alibert and his missing son. Luckily there was no other things to report for the whole night. Still, Dale worried about the child and how he fared against the bitter cold. As soon as Fai got there, he was to gather his friend along with Alibert and start scouring parts of the woods methodically. His skills as a tracker would definitely help.

Dale has been in a few different situations throughout his career as a guard. Before he came to Emelka, he had worked for a governor, a bank owner, and was even hired as a personal body guard to a man who feared he was targeted for crimes against a mob syndicate which he had not done; or so he claimed. Before he became a guard, Dale had even worked as 'Hired Hands' in contracts all across the World of Twelve.

Dale waved the page with his hand to help the ink set before closing the book and setting it aside on the desk. Noticing the rays of sunlight which peered through the windows, he collected his equipment and sat down to eat before Fai showed up.

As two guards walked thought the door to the tower, they greeted Dale with their usual half-awake grumbles. Dale looked at them with a half awake smile. Staying up late never seemed to bother Dale too much, but it always left him exhausted.

Dale straightened his back as he stood. "Fai, I'm glad you're finally here. There is an urgent matter which calls for immediate attention. I set everything up for you as far as the log book goes, so I'll be taking my leave early."

Fai, still groggy tried responding in the middle of his yawn. "What kind of matter? Do you need my help?"

"No, thanks. I'm going to ask in a favor from another friend. He works in town."

Fai nodded. "Alright then. I'll be here if you change your mind."

"Thanks, but it shouldn't take that long; hopefully…" Dale said turning his gaze out the window. He took his spear as well as his jacket and headed out the door. Making his first right down the main street of town, he weaved in and out of the people who were about attending to their daily errands. Following the loud sound of clanging on metal, he could tell he was close by.

The Blacksmith shop was connected to a forge almost as large as the shop itself. Hanging from the racks on the counters were a wide collection of weaponry from simple daggers to more complex exotic swords. Dale made his way past the racks and peered around the corner of the shop where a man was hammering away at a piece of metal glowing on top of an anvil.

"Still manually making weapons? That'll take all day. You know they should have factories which mass produce them?" Dale said with a laugh.

The man looked towards the noise with anger, but then smiled seeing Dale standing there. "Yeah. The day they can trick thirty people to work in a single forge all day, and come out with weapons of **real** quality, that will be the day I retire."

Dale laughed at the man's rebuttal, and moved in for a handshake. "So good to see you Lobo. Your wound healing up well I see…"

Lobo turned his right arm towards Dale, showing off a scar which spanned the length of his forearm. "It was just a scratch. The war couldn't kill me **that** easily."

"Well I'm glad you're all right." Dale first said with a smile, but suddenly lost the expression in his face as he stared into Lobo's eyes. "I need your help Lobo. There is a child that went missing, and I could use another tracker's skills to help find him."

Lobo put down his hammer, and wiped his forehead. "Alright. I can help. Give me the details."

Dale cleared his throat and responded. "Male, young. Ran off alone into the woods in the early morning. Hasn't been seen since."

Lobo let out a sigh. "It mustn't be that far past nine. Why the sudde-"

"Yesterday morning..." Dale interrupted, shaking his head.

Lobo's eyebrows furrowed a bit. "Dale. You know as well as I do th-"

"I know, forty-eight hours. Which is why I need your help. We've covered the whole town last night, which leaves the woods."

Lobo exhaled deeply. "I'll help. You know I will. The only question is why you waited so long."

"This was just made known to me last night shortly after my shift started. Searching the town was all we could do due to the limited visibility."

Lobo nodded, turned around towards his shop, and started closing it up. "Help me close up, then we can head out."

"Thanks Lobo." Dale said dragging the racks inwards allowing him to close and lock the windows. "We have to go and get Alibert, the kid's father after this."

Lobo looked at Dale puzzled for a moment. "Wait. Isn't he the innkeeper? The Crusty Gobball, right?"

"Yup. The very same."

Lobo nodded to himself. He knew of the Alibert and Yugo. Most of the town knew about the two and how mysterious Alibert would get whenever someone brought up his wife. Apart from the mystery, Alibert was kind to everyone. Not many people could run both a full inn, and take care of a child at the same time; but somehow Alibert found a way for it to work. Hearing how well family could work alongside a business made Lobo think about a family of his own. One day, he would find the right girl. But how soon would it be? Blacksmithing wasn't a child-safe profession, and he knew that; however, he still couldn't help but wonder what family life was like.

"Okay. Looks tightly locked. I'll grab my hat, and we can go." Lobo said locking his front door and pocketing the key.

"Alibert should be awake by now. I hope he at least got some rest last night." Dale said as they both started walking through the town towards the inn on the hill.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

As the sun rose above the trees, brightness threatened the peacefulness of Yugo's sleep. He stirred awake, trying to cover his eyes from the light. Shifting slightly, he noticed the cape which was covering him like a blanket. He pulled it over his eyes and turned his head away from the sun. After a moment, he realized that the cape wasn't his.

"_This must be mister Fen's"_ he thought to himself.

Carefully removing the covers, he looked over in the direction that Fenrier was sleeping. When his eyes saw the tree line on the opposite side of the clearing unobstructed, he became confused. Pulling the covers down and leaning on his elbow, he scanned the clearing for signs of the man. He noticed the burned out fireplace reduced to ashes, but other than himself, there was no one around.

Yugo shifted himself up to a sitting position, keeping the cloak around him for warmth. He moved it aside to reveal his bandaged leg. The off-white bandages had a deep red stain on them, but it seemed to have mostly dried overnight. Yugo gulped as he prepared himself for the pain in his leg as he stood up. Putting pressure on his injured leg was only a fraction of the pain that it had been the night prior. He could stand, but he chose not to run to avoid any unnecessary pressure. Half-limping, he calmly walked over to the stream and kneeling down, he cupped his hands to drink for it.

The cool, refreshing water quenched his throat which was parched from the bread he practically inhaled last night. Handful after handful, he drank from the stream enjoying every sip he took. He was unsure of how far from home he was, but he knew he had to get home before nightfall. It was nothing short of a miracle that Fen showed up. Without his help, Yugo very well could have frozen to death.

As Yugo drank, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He tried pulling away and turning around in the same movement, but started falling backwards into the stream. A hand shot out from behind him and grabbed Yugo's arm, stopping him from falling in. Yugo looked up at the figure to see Fenrier smiling, holding a few fish on a string in his other hand.

"Careful there. You almost fell in." Fenrier said pulling Yugo to his feet away from the stream.

Yugo was happy to see Fen, and relieved at how he wouldn't have to walk home alone. "Thanks mister Fen. I didn't hear you. And when I woke up, I thought you had left."

"And not say 'Goodbye'? I said I'd help you. I wouldn't go back on my word. Now let's cook these up, and we can talk about today."

"Yeah. As much as I like the woods, I think I'm ready to go back home." Yugo said making his way back to the bedroll.

"Wait. You mean… you're not homeless?"

"What? No. I live with my dad. Well, he's not really my dad. But he raised me ever since I was born, so he is my dad in a way. He owns an inn in Emelka."

Fen sighed a sigh of relief to hear how this kid had somewhere to live. But it hurt him slightly to hear how he wouldn't be able to ask if Yugo could join him on Fen's adventures. Fenrier felt ashamed of almost offering to take someone else's child away to the far off lands of the World of Twelve. He also felt terribly worried for the boy's father who was probably looking for his son all this time.

"Are you okay mister Fen?" Yugo asked looking at Fen who had been looking at the ground, standing in place.

"Oh, yeah. It's just… I was thinking about you dad and how badly he misses you. What made you run away from your home?"

Yugo's glance shot to the ground remembering the fight that took place just yesterday. "Um… I got into a fight with my dad about having Az in the kitchen. He's my tofu friend. He broke one of my dad's pots, so he got mad. I said some bad things, and ran away." Yugo's eyes started to fill with tears as he admitted what he did, and realizing how wrong he was insulting his father.

Fen put his hand under Yugo's chin and raised his eyes to meet Fen's gaze. "It's okay. I'm sure your father will forgive you. People fight sometimes. It's normal."

Yugo half smiled, and went to hug Fen's legs. "Thanks mister Fen. For everything."

Fen put a hand on top of Yugo's head. "You're welcome little one."

As soon as they were done eating, Fen has explained where he thought they were in correlation to Emelka, and the route they would have to take. According to Fen's math, they were no more than thirty minutes from the outskirts of town. Yugo tried to follow along as much as he could, filling his face with some of the fish they caught that morning. Yugo looked down at his legs and feet, now covered in dirt and dried mud. The first thing he was going to do when he got home was take a warm bath.

[**Author's Note:** This story have gone further than I had even imagined, and that is all thanks to you, the viewers. On the close of this story, I will give you all a hint as to what the next story will be about. As I write, I constantly check my stories' progress on the website. I have noticed an influx of stories about Wakfu starting to flood the pages. This leads me to think how more and more people are inspired enough about the fandom to seek out more Wakfu to consume (A curse which lead myself to this spot now).

If we keep this incline of people, Wakfu might very well become as big of a recognized fandom as Hetalia or even Homestuck. Keep up the good work!

Dale and Fen belong to me. Fai and Lobo belong to my good friend Nimue. And everyone else belongs to Ankama. Again, if you haven't already, watch Wakfu! Now on Netflix!]


	5. Chapter 5

Real Dad Chapter 5

Due to the long and strenuous night of fear and panic, Alibert was in such a deep slumber that he hadn't even noticed the sun beaming down through the kitchen's back door. Straining himself both physically and emotionally left him in unmoved, leaning over the table. As he snored, he had not noticed the front door of the inn open. After a short moment of the sounds of footsteps on hard wood coming thought the main dining room, the swinging door burst open; nearly hitting Alibert's table. Dale looked down at Alibert and rolled his eyes.

"_I told him he'd overwork himself…_" Dale nudged the table with his spear to jolt Alibert awake. "Hey Alibert, it's morning. We should get going."

Alibert lifted his head towards Dale, eyes still half open laced with grogginess from a lack of enough sleep. He sat up slowly, and stayed motionless for a moment; trying his best to grab onto the reality of morning. Then as soon as he realized what it meant, he shot up from his chair wide-eyed and ran for his shoes.

"Whoa there!" Dale said nearly being knocked over by the chair flying across the room.

"Sorry Dale. I hadn't realized what time it was."

"It's not that long past nine. I brought a friend who would be great help at finding Yugo. Especially since he wandered into the woods." Dale said pointing towards the other man in the room.

"Hi, I'm Lobo. The blacksmith…" Lobo said extending his hand to shake Alibert's.

After spinning around to get his shoes and coat on, he shook Lobo's hand with a half-smile. "Right. I've seen you around town a few times. Thank you so much for helping. I'll repay you sometime with meal on the house. You too Dale."

Lobo shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I'm just doing what any common citizen would."

Dale's eyes lit up with the mention of food, particularly some he didn't have to pay for. "Lobo, it's offensive to turn down food from a chef. We'll have to take you up on that offer some time, Alibert."

"Right. But first, let's go find your son…" Lobo said, blowing off Dale's excitement. "I thought we'd start by searching along the river. It's the biggest source of fresh water around."

Alibert ushered the two out the door, and locked it behind him. "Alright. But why bring the spears?"

"Just in case something comes up. Anything could be in those woods." Lobo said without a second thought.

Alibert's face grew with shock in how blunt Lobo was. His own son was out there. Why would he say something so abrasive?

Dale looked over at Lobo, also shocked. Back when they worked together, Lobo had always been blunt, and was rather introverted with his emotions. Dale noticed how uncomfortable Lobo's comment made Alibert and put one hand on Alibert's shoulder.

"I'm sure that he's fine. You said so yourself that he was a smart kid. We'll find him."

Alibert smiled up at Dale, feeling all of the grief of yesterday slowly returning. He knew Dale and Lobo were trying to help, but an ever-growing feeling of defeat crept up on Alibert. "_Maybe this whole thing is futile. What if we're too late? How would I carry on running the inn without Yugo around?_" He pushed these thoughts aside. He had to think positive. He had to be the one to keep hope alive; for both himself and for Yugo's sake.

The group made their way around the inn and started heading towards the spot that the river flowed into the woods.

/

Yugo and Fen packed up the bedroll, and extinguished the fire. After they were all packed up, Fen helped Yugo to his feet. "You're able to stand. That's a positive." Fen said making sure his bandages were snug against his leg.

Yugo winced a little as Fen tightened the wrapping. "Yeah. It only stings a little bit though."

"Well let me know at the first sign of it becoming too much for you."

"Alright mister Fen." Yugo said with a large grin.

That right there, seeing this small child happily grinning from something that Fen did. Those would be the hardest things for him to leave behind. Knowing he has done something right, and getting the instant un-filtered gratification from someone was part of why Fen chose to become an adventurer. He knew how there were countless people across the world who would be less fortunate than himself, or need help in whatever matters that they had.

"_I am such an idiot! Why did I let myself get attached?!"_ Fan raked his brain for answers, zoning himself out long enough to almost come in contact with a tree. He put his hands in front of himself, and planted his feet firmly into the ground. Stopping just inches away from the tree, he looks over to Yugo who has started laughing.

"Are you sure you know the way?" Yugo said wiping a tear from his eye.

"Yeah. It's just a forest. I know my way around trees." Fen said huffing, slightly embarrassed at how he nearly made a fool of himself.

"And your way into them, by the looks." Yugo said chuckling.

Fen rolled his eyes and continued on their path. Weaving in and out of trees would prove far easier in the daylight. With only buds decorating most of the trees, the sun's light beamed against the forest floor warning any passersby to the roots and rocks that littered the woods. The sounds of birds chirping away around the treetops entertained the two travelers in their walk.

This whole encounter had been rough for Yugo, but he felt it was time to go back home. "_I need to apologize for what I said to dad…_" Yugo hung his head thinking about how worried Alibert must have been. "_I won't complain about my chores for a whole month. Maybe that would make him feel better…"_

/

Lobo, Dale, and Alibert had followed the river through the woods for almost twenty minutes when they stopped to rest on some rocks. Dale grabbed an apple from his bag, and handed it to Alibert. "Here. You haven't eaten yet. You need to eat something or else you'll pass out."

Alibert wasn't the most muscularly fit person in the group, but both he and his stomach couldn't argue with the hunger settling in. "Thanks." He said graciously accepting the offer.

Lobo had been quiet for the most of the trip. It almost seemed as if he was in another world as he scoured for clues. As far as they could see, there was no human footprints or sings of disturbance in the leaves thickly blanketing the forest floor. "Still no sign of him." Lobo called back towards the other two.

Dale sighed, and then yawned. "We can keep looking along the river. We'll find something eventually."

Alibert noticed how tired Dale was and said "You know you could go home. You've been up all night Dale. Lobo and I could continue looking."

Dale shook his head. "No. I am a part of this now, and I won't rest until we find him. It shouldn't be long now. Right Lobo?"

"If we're lucky…" Lobo said without looking up. Both Alibert's and Dale's faces scrunched slightly as Lobo's answer. Lobo stopped for a moment, registering how that must have sounded, and continued. "… we'll find him within the hour." It wasn't much better, but Dale knew how Lobo was with people.

"See? I'll be fine." Dale said faking a smile.

As Alibert sat on the rock, he leaded back slightly and listened to the birds chirping away, when a familiar sounds brought him to his feet. Alibert rushed off away from the river and towards the noise. Dale noticed him run off, and followed Alibert as closely as he could. Lobo saw Dale run off, and slowly made his way in that direction as well.

Alibert stopped right in front of a tree which looked like all of the others; half dead, beginning to bloom buds on its branches. Dale gave him a puzzled look as Alibert searched the branches all around the tree. Alibert made eye contact with what he heard, and started smiling. Dale looked up towards the branches and saw a small yellow tofu sitting on a branch.

"A tofu?" Dale asked.

"Not just any tofu. This is Az! Yugo's pet. AZ! Az, down here!" Alibert called after it.

Az noticed Alibert below him, and started to fly away, scared that Alibert had come to hit him again.

"Az, I'm sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have done that. But I need your help to find Yugo. He's been missing." Alibert tried pleading with the tofu, only to have his words ignored as Az flew away back the way that they came.

Dale stood behind Alibert completely confused as to why a grown man would be talking to a bird. "He's just a bird. They don't understand English Alibert."

Alibert started running after the bird when he saw it descend down towards the path, and land on top of Lobo's hand. Lobo held out his arm and made bird calls to the little ball of feathers. Az stared up at him, wide-eyed and chirping back to him.

"You can talk to birds?" Alibert asked puzzled.

"I just know a few bird calls. Were you trying to speak in English to it?" Lobo said petting Az with his finger.

"Whenever Yugo talked to him, it seemed to understand him for the most part. If Az is here, then Yugo mustn't be that far. At least, I hope."

"Then we're getting close! That's good news!" Dale said excitedly.

Alibert leaned in closer to Az and whispered. "I hope you can forgive me for what happened. I was mad, and shouldn't have thrown you out the window. I'm sorry. But could you help us find Yugo?"

Az turned towards him and gave a single chirp.

"Not sure what that means, but I'll take that as an 'Okay'" Alibert said smiling. "Fly above the trees and see if you can spot him."

Lobo held his arm up as Az flew far above their heads, and above the tree line. All three of the men stared intently at the bird as he spin around looking in all directions. After a few moments, it started chirping towards a specific direction.

"Huh. That's the way back towards town." Lobo said plainly. "Maybe we just missed him?"

Az came down and flapped his wings towards the same direction. "Lead the way Az!" Alibert said trying to keep up with the tofu.

/

"Listen Yugo." Fen said just as they were nearing the edge of the woods. "If you ever want to go out in the woods again someday…" Fen trailed off, not knowing how to correctly put his words.

"Yeah?" Yugo said staring up at him.

Fen knew he couldn't ask this kid to follow him on his adventures. He was too young, and the trails were far too dangerous. He was stupid to think he could just enlist someone else's child. He cared about helping others, but he knew that they would be gone as soon as he set out for the next town. He wasn't supposed to familiarize himself with the people he met. It would just make parting from them that much harder; And right here was a perfect example of that.

Fen sighed, and smiled at Yugo. "Please remember to bring a compass."

"Alright mister Fen." Yugo said, mentally telling himself to remember shoes too. His feet were aching almost as bad as the cut on his leg was. It wasn't crippling, but the pain in his leg would refresh in his mind little by little with every step he took. He was embarrassed to speak up about it to Fenrier since he spent all night taking care of him already. Yugo didn't want Fen to worry about his cut any more than he had already.

They crossed over past the last tree into the yard behind the inn. They both stopped as Fen leaned against a tree, alleviating the weight of his bag for a moment. "Is this where you live Yugo?"

Yugo nodded energetically. He started walking towards the inn, when he stopped mid-stride. He turned to his left to see a small ball of yellow feathers dive straight at his chest. He grabbed it and started hugging it, laughing. "Az! I am so glad to see you! I hope your day went better. I'll have to tell you and dad all about it! Is he-"

"Yugo?" Alibert called out interrupting Yugo mid-sentence.

As soon as he saw Alibert come through the trees, Yugo ran towards him with his arms wide open. "Dad!" He called out, tears starting to form in his eyes.

Alibert looked at his son running towards him and smiled; feeling all of the past day's stress fall from his shoulders. He knelt down holding his arms open, readying himself for the flying-hugs Yugo came to perfect through the years.

Yugo jumped towards his dad, only to be caught mid-air and spin around by Alibert. The two embraced each other as hard as they could; both laughing. Tears were running down both of their faces as Alibert's spinning sent them to the ground. Alibert landed in a sitting position, not letting go of his son.

Dale was smiling as he watched how happy the two were. He looked over to Lobo who he swore was smiling slightly. "See Lobo? That is what **feelings** feels like"

Lobo quickly corrected his smile, and turned his face away from Dale's. "I know what feelings are you idiot…"

Dale smirked at Lobo's attempt at playing it off. He knew Lobo was a very caring person deep down; he just rarely showed it, if at all.

Alibert broke the hug, and stared at his son. "I was so worried. I thought the worst might have happened."

Yugo looked down at the ground. "I'm so sorry dad. I didn't mean for anyone to worry. I just… I shouldn't have run off."

Alibert put his hand under Yugo's chin, raising his son's eyes to meet his own. "I'm the one who shouldn't have yelled at you. It was just an accident. It wasn't your fault." Yugo smiled up at his dad, and wiped the tears from his eyes, embracing him again. Alibert felt the bandage wrapped around Yugo's leg, and stared at it questioningly. "Wait. How did you do this? What happened?"

Yugo smiled at his dad, and held out his leg, offering a better look. "I hit my leg on a rock, but it's all fine now. Right when it happened, a man found me. His name is Fenrier. He helped me with my leg, he made a campfire, and even caught some fish earlier today. Isn't that right mister-"

Yugo turned around, pointing towards the trees where Fenrier was standing; only to have his gaze unmatched. There was no one standing in that direction. Yugo tilted his head in confusion as Alibert spoke up. "Well it seems like this imaginary friend of yours isn't there. Let's get you inside and cleaned up. You're all covered in dirt and mud."

"But… He was standing right there…" Yugo trailed off while his father picked him up; leading him inside.

Fen walked away past the trees, leaving the Yugo and the inn behind him. _"It is better this way. You've done your part Fen. No need to linger."_ He knew this was the best for the both of them. He cast his gaze upwards to the sky, watching the clouds beyond the treetops.

Spring was definitely showing her face to the land of Emelka. In a short few months, the trees will have their crowns of leaves bestowed by Spring herself. The fields will be flooded by an abundance of colors coming from the variety of flowers. Each of the flowers would dance in their own performances, in an attempt to appease the vast blue sky above them. Springtime was a very joyous season for Emelka.

[**Author's Note:** I apologize for how long it took to write this last chapter. I was trying to find a way to finish everything up. This story has already gone twice as long as I first envisioned it to be. I want to thank you all for fueling my story along the way. This wouldn't exist without you all.

I hope you either add me to your Follows, or keep a lookout on the horizon for my username in the near future as I contemplate writing another story. Due to my studies, I am unsure of whether I will make a new one or not. I already have the setting, half of the plot, and a gaggle of characters all in line for the new story, so if I chose to follow through, the first chapter could be up in as soon as two weeks.

Lobo belongs to my friend Nimue. Dale and Fenrier are mine. Yugo and Alibert belong to Ankama.

Ever since I first uploaded my story, I have seen an influx of stories being written about the Wakfu fandom. It makes me very happy to see a rather young fandom starting to form. Keep up the good work with spreading Wakfu to others.

If you have any questions, comments, or requests that you wished to remain private, please feel free to message me. I will check this site frequently.

Farewell for now, Jon1305]


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